Heated minnow bucket



June l3, 1950 o w LEAF 2,511,353

' HEATED MINNOW BUCKET j Filed Dec; 25, 1944 2 Sheet's-Sheet 1 FIG E awe/m Ono \Ummn LEAF- June 13, 1950 O. W. LEAF HEATED MINNOW BUCKET Filed Dec 26, 1944 38 4s so I 64 so v I )8 $9 I @w I I5 i 62 33 70 I as 55 32 I a i ll 1 E N Q 56 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O-rro l/Juyuam LEAF Patented June 13, 1950 "2511,353 Minnow BUe ET Otto izea fcfi l'imeapolls kiiisliaa'tiall irclfiritfi 26, 1944, serial No. 's'be z s Thfs "invention 'ilttes t imiifov'efifnts' 111 mm new buckets foi' keepin ahd -tiansboitihg the m nnows used as bait in fishing;

The primary object or my invention is to pro-' vide a minnow bucket having a self contained heater me'chan'fsm by the use of which the water the bucket may be warmed and keptfrdfrlffiez ih'g while Winter fishing through the ice. In thls sport, frequently 0 but when the temperature is far-below fieezingjieit filfitflty been experienced in keeping minnows alive and may as they should he fer best reslrlt, but bythe il bf my-bucket the baitmay be l'eadllylgeptdn good Shape even for days at a time. Another object is to provide a minnow bucket wameu contained 01' built in heater which "is cbhvni'nt house-is 'not adversely afl ectedby wind, 'a-ridwhich :lsquite eimple in construction; cofilpacfllnsfze and li'ght in weight. 7 3 I These and othr mofefcftailf ahd spcific objects w-illbe disclosed the cours'e of the fdllcw ing specification, l'efie'nc'e belng liai'd to theaccompanying-dralwingaih which- 'Fig. 1 is a plan view qr m i provea mmnow bucket, with parts theieof brolce'n away to better disclose the construction.

I Fig. 3 is an end view, also Withxpirts btokn away to disclose interior details. I

Fig. 4 isa frag'mentary hbrizontal sectlon afldng the line 44 inFi'g. 4 k v Fig. 5 is a similar'vi'ew along' the llne 5- -5 in Fig. '2.

Fig. 6 is an 'enlai'ged perpective 'detail new of the flame spradr'a'lone. V

In carrying outmy mvention in thefi'dfm here"- in disclosed I provide *a bucket designated-generally at In having an upright coxitiallnerwall H of elliptical shape in plah-vietvpand' a bottom -12. Spaced above the bottom I2 and secured -with a water-tight joint to the H is a false bottom forming therebenealtha chaniber"1 Hn :which'a liquid fuelm'ay be kept. The 'biicketiis flttd ln conventional ma'nnrwith -a bail I 5 *h'avifig a handle l-6 at "its center for carrying.

Secured within' and' sbmwhat blow the'mppr rolled mafgin 1 1px the bucket wall Hiisfa top plate -[B-- having near "its center'a-ler'ge:openln'g '1'9 normally closed by "a cover-* 20. 'Eh'e :cover illls hin'gedatil toairltopi-plate wmn'd has a conventional latch 22 which will hold itclbsed but allow the cover to "be'-opened= to provlde acces's'-m the interior of the buket. illtozfe-eml the"top platefl 8 turned -upwei' d-Iy* izt 23 warmed: rla- (Cl. 126-=-360-) v to an upright transverse strip '24 forming thefebetween 'a tray25 in whl'chl'looks and similar -"i'nall'l fiabkle items ma bestored. The tray '15 4k "sed by a cover 26 hinged at 21 atop the strip "24 incl "atla'pted t'oclo'se not'only the tr ayibu-tthe adjantopen end portion 28 ofth'e bucket. A "spring ch29 is 'pro'viiied to hold th'embver 12 6 closed and the cover has a transver'se depending fl'afi'ge afl (F-lg. 2) adapted "to Slip Over the u er @Hg'e of the upturned end 23 "to prevent any poss ible-' scape"bf sfnallitems' IrOm the-tfay when the co ver th of is closed.

"The heal'ieras'se' nihly is l'o'cate'd'in the end of the packet I 0, opposite 'to "that adjacent which 'the tray '25 =is 'zirbvid'd, and to form'a burn'erl'chambe? "31 "for beaten-isolated from the interior bf he buckt itslfgl provide an upright transv 'ly= extending cross Wall 32 the' lipper' end of i-s hbiifintallydutwaid 01 endwi's'e 'f orihing a' shelf oi support ss. The'v'ari'ous edges of this ingfilal ly 'shaped cross member are'ill eemetea or "otherwise secured with water-tight 16i ts o the ffiil's'e bbttolh la dnd upright wan-4 1 6f tl ie-l:l'1'ic1*t as indicated at-"34.

At its "center the S-helf 3'3 has 'alarge opening 35 in which i s sdldered l'il'zihbl'y 'the -:1awer end bfa tubulal fiue member as, the upwardly tapering- 'ii'a poses. The wick adjustment 49 extentls wiltwaifd through a. large opening 52 formed in the end of the bucket and is supported in a bracket 53 secured to the bucket therebeneath. The opening 52 is closed by an inspection plate or panel 54 secured thereto by screws 55 and this plate may be removed at any time to inspect the burner or for its removal, the latter being accomplished by lifting the housing 4'! upward into the flue 36 until its lower end clears the opening 50 and then tilting and pulling the unit out through the opening'52.

The fuel chamber [4 may be filled through a capped neck 56 on the false bottom [3 access to which is had through an opening 51 in the side wall of the bucket. Said opening is fitted with a door '58 hinged to the bucket at 59 and pro-' vided with a latch 68 as clearly shown.

The burner 45 is lighted or extinguished by means of an inspection port member 6| of tubular form soldered in the flue member 36 above the burner and projecting outwardly through the adjacent end of the bucket. The outer extremity of said tubular port member is threaded to receive a screw cap 82 having a center of glass 63'or similar transparent material. The cap 62 may be removed to allow access to the burner and when replaced will allow the flame to be inspected and controlled at will. The glass 63 also allows the burner to serve as a lantern to aid the fisherman during the hours of darkness in baiting his hook or in any other activity in which illumination is necessary or helpful.

The plate 54 and cap 52 of course prevent the entrance of air to the burner and air for sup porting combustion is taken from the aforesaid chamber 45 which it enters through air opening 54 (Fig. 2) formed in the end wall of the bucket inwardly of a depending hood 65. The hood 55 .eXtends downwardly in spaced relation to the end of the bucket, is closed at its ends 66 (Fig. 4)

:and is open only at its lower edge at 61. Air from the chamber 45 then flows downward :through draft tubes 68 arranged one at each :side of the flue member 36. The upper ends of the draft tubes 58 are inserted in openings 69 (Fig. 3) in the top plate i8 and lower ends are soldered in openings 10 in the shelf 33.

The air thus may flow upwardly inside the hood 55, into the chamber 45, down through the tubes 68 and thence into the burner chamber or compartment 3! where it may enter the air holes 5| in the burner unit as required.

A flame spreader device H is supported'above the burner unit 46 and as best seen in Figs. 2 and 6 this device comprises a plate 12 bent medially to a shallow V-shape and having a central, longitudinal slot 13 above which a bafile strip 14 is supported by its legs 15 which are riveted at E6 to'the plate. A narrow end I! of the plate 12 is riveted at '18 to the center of a bowed spring 19 which may be collapsed slightly and inserted into the tubular port member 6| wherein it will then expand and by friction sup.- port the spreader over the flame. The ends of the spring 19 are curled into eyes 80 so that, by inserting the ends of long nosed pliers into the eyes, the spring may be collapsed orsprung together'for inserting or removing the spreader.

.-Flame spreader ll diverts the heat to the walls of :flue member 36 which have the greatest amount of contact with the water in the outside water {$119 bucket; W

The operation of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing but it will be briefly described as follows. The bucket has its main chamber or compartment filled with water and the minnows placed. therein, and then the burner 45 located in the separate chamber or compartment formed by the wall 32, shelf 35 and flue 36, is lighted by first removing and then replacing the cap 62; The flame from the burner; is spread and caused to throw its "heat against the walls of the flue member 35 and since the water in the bucket surrounds the flue it will be warmed and kept from freezing even in severe Weather. Air for supfill porting combustion enters as described through the hood 5-5 and, following the tortuous path previously described, is prevented from reaching the burner with any turbulence such as to cause extinguishment of'the flame. This is true no matter how strong the wind may be. The air flowing downward through the draft tubes 68 is further warmed, due to the action of the warmed water about the tubes, and thus facilitates proper burning of the fuel. The gases and smoke from the flame pass out, of course, through the chimney 38. V

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A minnow bucket having a chamber isolated from the interior of the bucket and about the outside of .which chamber water contained in the bucket may circulate, a heating device for heating the interior of said chamber, and a false bottom; in the bucket forming therebeneath a chamber for fuel for said heating device.

2. In a minnow bucket, a fluemember arranged in the bucket but isolatedtherei'rom so that water in the bucket may circulate about the exterior of said flue member, a burner in the flue member for heating the walls thereof, a tubular member-communicating with the interior of the flue member above the burner and extending outward therefromthroughthe side, of the bucket, a flame spreadin device supported in said tubular member and. disposed over the burner, said flame spreading device being removable through the tubular member, and a removable cap on the outer end of said tubular member.

3. In a minnow bucket, means forming a burner chamber in the lower part of the bucket, a flue leading upwardly from said'chamber, a burner positioned in the chamber for heating the walls of the flue, means forming an air chamber in the upper part of the bucket surrounding the flue, and tubular means connecting the air chamberto the burner chamber for conducting air to the burner.

, 4.. In a minnow bucket, means forming a burner chamber in the lower part of the bucket, a flue leading upwardly from said chamber, a burner positioned'i'n the chamber for heating the walls of the flue, means forming an air chamber in 'theupper part of the bucket about the flue, tubular means connecting the air chamber to the burner chamber for conducting air to the burner, and means for admitting air to the air chamber including. a hoodmemberlocated on the outside of the bucket and openin downwardly at its lower end whereby air must enter and pass upwardly in passageintosaid air chamber.

5.'A.minnow-bucket having .a main compartment for water, another compartment separate 1 therefrom, a heating device in said other compartment, and a, third compartment for fuel for said heating device.

6. In a minnow bucket, a main compartment;

for water, means for heating the water, and a false bottom in the bucket forming a chamber to hold fuel for the heating means.

7. A minnow bucket having a main chamber for water, a separate chamber including an upright tubular flue member exposed to the Water in the main chamber, a burner arranged within said flue member to direct its flame upwardly thereinto, and a longitudinally slotted plate positioned within the flue member in such a manner as to deflect the flame against the inner walls of the flue member.

OTTO W. LEAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Hacker et al July 9, 1889 Orton Jan. 10, 1893 Williams Oct. 5, 1897 Magee Sept. 19, 1899 Rascher Nov. 27, 1900 Fifield Jan. 23, 1906 Bernard Feb. 12, 1907 Rimmelin July 9, 1907 Bernhard Oct. 13, 1914 Kaiser Nov. 18, 1919 Thomasson Jan. 27, 1920 Ulman May 5, 1931 Kump Sept. 29, 1931 Welhausen Dec. 12, 1933 Keating June 24, 1941 Clarkson July 13, 1948 

